2 Corinthians 2

"For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life." 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

Has anyone told you that you talk about Jesus too much? That you're just a bit over the top with that Christian stuff? Or christians are so judgmental? Those are signs that we should extend grace and let our lives preach the loudest. Sometimes our faith convicts people to a point where they end up passing judgement. How do you handle those situations? Are you loving them as Christ loved them? Happy Wednesday! 

2 Corinthians 13

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5 

When was the last time you did a spiritual assessment? You know, really took a deep look at your life? Does it reflect Christ? Do your conversations glorify him? Why are we so quick to "test God," when He has proven himself several times over. Instead, Paul tells us to test ourselves for Christ-likeness. Think about what fruit of the spirit you should mature in and make a plan to do so. Happy Tuesday! 

And the Corinthians study is finished! If you have any suggestions on the next one let me know... Jesus and I will discuss it :) 

2 Corinthians 12

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

In these verses, Paul is referring to a torn in his side, which continually humbles him. The ironic thing is that I was very humbled this morning. It was one of those mornings where everything seemed to go wrong. Like Being greeted with a parking ticket first thing in the morning... Or the service engine light coming on yesterday... Needless to say, if we are striving to be more Christ-like we have to continually renew our minds and refuse to let our "thorns" affect our attitude. Don't let your praise be determined by your circumstances. Happy Monday! 

2 Corinthians 9:9

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:9 

Don't you just love this verse? Christians latch on to verses about prosperity and blessings, but take a look at what's before that. Verses 6-8 say that if you sow sparingly, you'll reap sparingly. It seems as if you have a part to play. Yes, God will bless you but it's contingent on blessings others. If you're selfish with your finances and gifts, why should you get more? On the flip side, lack of funds does not mean that you're not blessed (that's another topic for another day lol). God looks at your heart. Are you a cheerful giver of time, talent, and treasure? Happy Friday! :)

2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8 starts off talking about how the Macedonian church remained generous while encountering hard times. Because of their generous hearts, the Word says that God was gracious towards them. If we are faithful with little, we will be faithful with much (Luke 16:10). Where is your heart considering generosity? Do you place a dollar in the tithe basket simply out of routine or is that really your first and best fruit? If has God lead you to sow into a cause, have you done so with a pure heart? How can you become more generous?

"Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be" Luke 12:34

Happy Thursday! 

2 Corinthians 7

"... let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." 2 Corinthians 7:1

Good morning! I am so sorry that I fell off the face of the earth for a few days. I went home for a visit and time seemed to fly by with a quickness! I pray that you had a blessed Resurrection weekend and reflected on the ultimate demonstration of love. For the remainder of the week, consider some things in your life aren't pleasing to God. Pray about how to rid yourself of those things and fill you back up with qualities that are pleasing to him. There's a song about this :) "Empty Me" by William McDowell. Happy Wednesday! 

2 Corinthians 1

"...the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Consider this: if you seek comfort in shopping, entertainment, and surrounded by distractions, how can God comfort you? Then, when people seek you for advice and comfort you're not pushing them to Christ, but instead suggesting things to "get them through." Every life experience is two fold: to strengthen the individual and to strengthen others. Don't cheat yourself out of valuable lessons. Seek comfort from the ultimate comforter. Happy Thursday! 

1 Corinthians 16

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Words to live by. Although the Bible was written ages ago, I'm convinced the writers knew #thestuggle. Lol Some verses just jump off the page/screen and speak directly to my situation. I've committed this verse to memory for when I'm frustrated, annoyed, nervous, anxious, and doubtful. When we speak things enough, we actually begin to believe and internalize them. What are you speaking over yourself? Happy Wednesday! Can you believe we've finished another book in the Bible?! Craziness. 

1 Corinthians 15

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58

According to scripture (Colossians 3:23-24) we are to do all work like we're working for God. What if nobody acknowledged your efforts, commitment, selflessness? It doesn't matter. We're not working to please people, but to please God. And guess what? He sees you and your work is never in vain. Keep on keeping on this Tuesday! :) 

Also, 1 Corinthians 15:55 is quoted in Kari Jobe's song "Forever." It's a powerful song, especially for this time of year. 

1 Corinthians 12-14

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them." 1 Corinthians 12:4

1 Corinthians 12 breaks down every spiritual gift and how it affects the body of Christ. (I've written about Spiritual gifts a ton already) 

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11

1 Corinthians 13 is probably the most familiar because it's the "love chapter". Love is a term that's used so often, that it can lose it's power. Are you really demonstrating love on a daily basis or are you still living like a selfish child? *yikes* 

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit..." 1 Corinthians 14:1

Chapter 14 really breaks down the gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy. There are so many mixed messages about what they are, when they should be used, but in the end, God has already provided us with a manual. 

Happy Monday! What has been your favorite verse or chapter in 1 Corinthians so far? 

1 Corinthians 11

"Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup." 1 Corinthians 11:28 

For some, communion has become just another part of Sunday service. However, every time we take communion, we are acknowledging the new covenant that has been given to us, The next time you take communion, reflect on who Jesus is, what he has done for you, and what you are doing to serve him. Check out 1 Corinthians 11 for more insight about what communion is and why it is important. Have a blessed weekend! :) 

1 Corinthians 10

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 

Since we have the gift of free will, there are always options. We have the ability to follow the Holy Spirit's lead out of temptation, or follow the enemy into temptation. You know what tempts you, once you recognize that, avoid those situations like the plague. If you know you have a gossiping problem, practice self control and seek new companions. If you're fleeing from sexual immorality, don't chill and watch redbox movies into the wee morning hours. We don't have to be a slave to our sin, Jesus has offered us freedom in Him. 

Are you seeking to please Christ or your flesh? Happy Thursday! 

1Corinthians 9

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24 

Apostle Paul discusses the importance of self discipline in verses 24-27. He compares our walk with Christ with athletes training for a competition. If the athlete wants to have a chance to win, they train. They equip their mind and body for the ultimate test. In the same way, we should be arming ourselves with scriptures to cast down distracting thoughts and positioning ourselves in alignment with God's will. What have you sacrificed to gain traction in this race? 

Happy Wednesday! 

1 Corinthians 8

"Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes." 1 Corinthians 8:2-3 

If we, mere humans, had all the answers, would we need God? Would we need faith? If we knew how our sin would impact our calling, we wouldn't need a savior. The fact that we don't have all the answers and we choose to have faith and trust in God draws us closer to him. He knows and recognizes those that diligently seek him. He loves those who love him. 

Also, go see "God's Not Dead" if it's playing in a theater near you. It is a phenomenal movie! Let me know when you see it and we can chat about it. Happy Tuesday :) 

1 Corinthians 7

"God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world." 1 Corinthians 7:23 

With the "main" and "side" culture in full bloom, having Godly standards will make you stand out. When you know your value, you won't settle for less than God's best for you in every aspect of your life. This life is temporary, so focus on pleasing God and you will be rewarded eternally. 

 

"Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away." 1 Corinthians 7:31

*if you have questions about sex, greed, marriage, church order, drinking and more, study 1 Corinthians 5-7*

Happy Monday! 

1 Corinthians 4

"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5

Only God can judge me. We've all heard it. Most of the time people say it to justify their sin. Every time I hear it, I want to say, "doesn't that scare you?!" Although their intent is flawed, the statement is still true. It's not up to us to expose everyone's flaws, shortcomings, or their deliberate sinful actions. We can share what God places on our hearts, but we're not Jesus. We don't have the power to save everyone. Let's make sure our hearts are in order to receive praise from God about our work on earth. Happy Friday!

1 Corinthians 3

"Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God." 1 Corinthians 3:18-19

Have you ever been around people who know everything about everything? They don't take direction or criticism well? Those are the types of people in Corinth that Pail was writing to. Their vanity created conflict in the church. As believes, we should constantly strive for humility, patience and understanding. What are the areas in your life that you need less worldy wisdom? 

Happy Thursday! 

1 Corinthians 2

"And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us."1 Corinthians 2:12

Those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, have discernment. We're able to comprehend "spiritual realities" (1 Corinthians 2:13-14). The Holy Spirit will reveal Isaiah 64:4 ie: purpose, His plans for your life, direction, and clarity. Continually seeking The Lord will draw him closer to you and closer to your purpose. Happy Wednesday! 

Corinthians Study: The Qualified

"...few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful." 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 

We are equipped with everything that we need to work in the calling that God has for us. There are no excuses! I strongly urge you to read all of chapter 1 for yourself because there's so much good stuff in there! 

I'm so excited to start a study on 1&2 Corinthians for the month of April. I'll be reading a chapter per day. Corinthians addresses various topics including: jealousy, marriage, sexual immorality, spiritual gifts, and relationships. These books continue to prove themselves relevant even though they were written long ago. Happy Tuesday!